X GROUP Technologies Launches Electrolyte Production

X GROUP Technologies (XGT) is moving ahead with the commercialisation of its vanadium electrolyte process in South Africa.

This XGT process includes the following steps:

• Low-cost extraction of vanadium from a range of secondary resources,

• Adsorption of vanadium onto ion exchange resin, for isolation, purification and concentration,

• Modification of the eluate solution to correct vanadium molarity (1.8M), valence charge (50% V4+ and 50% V3+) and sulphuric acid matrix (40%), consistent with electrolyte specifications.

The new facility was constructed and commissioned during the final quarter of 2024, shown in the following images:

The ion exchange plant was designed for a capacity of around 350Kl of electrolyte annually, at steady state on continuous operations basis. The process will be ramped up to meet rising demand, with nameplate capacity expected by mid-2025.

The ability to prepare vanadium electrolyte in a hydrometallurgical flowsheet offers a compelling competitive advantage over more conventional approaches, whereas premium-grade vanadium oxides (V2O3 and V2O5) are usually dissolved in sulphuric acid for preparation of electrolyte.

Technical viability of the XGT process was confirmed during 2023, in the purpose-built demonstration plant shown below:

Vanadyl sulphate demonstration plant commissioned in 2023

This proof-of-concept plant has already delivered vanadyl sulphate product solutions of exceptional purity. The eluate composition was analysed using the ICP MS, an instrument able to accurately determine elemental traces at parts-per-billion (ppb) level. The table below compares the XGT product analysis against one of the more stringent electrolyte specifications globally, from a reputable international producer.

It will be immediately obvious that the elements highlighted in red only marginally exceed these stringent specifications. XGT undertook further pilot-scale developments during 2024, aimed at ensuring that such base metal impurities remain well within the above specifications.

The process refinements were executed in the experimental setup shown below:

Since 2018, an important strategic objective of XGT has been the production of ultra-pure vanadium electrolyte in a non-refractory process, for direct deployment into vanadium redox flow batteries.

Schematic diagram illustrating vanadium redox flow battery chemistries

The establishment of the XGT electrolyte facility celebrates years of incremental process developments by a deeply specialised and dedicated team. It also validates our XGT maxim...

“The only sustainable Competitive Advantage is our ability to innovate faster than the Competition.”